By Wang Zhiyong
China.org.cn staff reporter

On the occasion of World AIDS Day on December 1, China.org.cn, together with six domestic media, will take the lead in a media program to create public awareness on HIV and AIDS in China, a country with a population of 1.3 billion and a growing number of HIV/AIDS infections.

China HIV/AIDS Media Partnership (CHAMP), a multi-year awareness campaign to counter stigma and to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS, was officially kicked off in Beijing on November 14, 2008. 

The launch ceremony of China HIV/AIDS Media Partnership is held on November 14, 2008 in Beijing. [Wang Zhiyong/China.org.cn]

Ms. Zhang Meizhi, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China.org.cn, speaks at the launch ceremony of China HIV/AIDS Media Partnership on November 14, 2008 in Beijing. [Wang Zhiyong/China.org.cn]

At the launch ceremony, two video clips of Public Service Advertisements (PSA) were first released. These two PSAs will be broadcast through CHAMP media partners including a number of TV channels, online media and one magazine.

The initiative was sponsored by the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria (GBC), with joint support from its business, media, and NGO partners.

Mr. Hao Yang, Deputy Director General, Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention of the Chinese Ministry of Health stated: "Today marks a turning point in tackling HIV/AIDS in China. I believe that GBC's new initiative, CHAMP, will play an important role in achieving the objectives of China's action plan for Reducing and Preventing the Spread of HIV/AIDS 2006-2010."

CHAMP is a unique initiative to mobilize the communication power of mass-media and commercial marketing to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in China.

The project was initiated in August 2007, and addresses an urgent need for greater public dialogue and understanding on HIV/AIDS in China. It is an unprecedented collaboration between China's leading media outlets and private enterprises to develop a coordinated cross-platform public awareness campaign on HIV/AIDS.

"The Coalition is pleased to initiate this partnership, which will bring HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, and anti-stigma issues to millions of Chinese through CHAMP's evidence-based campaign messages," stated Michael Shiu, Vice President and Regional Director for GBC in China.

"This fight will only be won through the active and results-oriented mobilization of the business sector. CHAMP connects the formidable resources and reach of mass-media and other companies with our partners in government and civil society to maximize our effectiveness and save more lives," said Michael Shiu.

Over 100 guests from the government, international agencies, non-governmental organizations, the media and the private sector, including the representatives of CHAMP project donors Mr. Charles Tang, VP of Coca-Cola China Ltd, Mr. Dr. David S. Chen, Vice President of General Motors China, and Mr. Leonard Stephens, Procurement Manager, Anglo American, attended the ceremony.

In the response to HIV/AIDS many new and innovative ideas were discussed regarding the role of business and alternative & creative media, the importance of an evidence-based approach to communication campaigns, the development of the CHAMP public service announcements, synergetic partnerships, and media campaigns related to stigma & discrimination against people living with HIV.

"Stigma has accompanied HIV and AIDS since the first moment the virus was identified, named and brought to the public's attention. The media plays a unique role within society either to denounce or to perpetuate the bias and moral judgments against people with HIV/AIDS," said Ms. Zhang Meizhi, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China.org.cn, also known as China Internet Information Center.

"China.org.cn is very proud to have been a member of the Steering Committee for CHAMP since its startup on August 2007, and we will fulfill our commitment to increase HIV/AIDS awareness and eliminate the existence of bias and stigma by leveraging the advantages we hold as an online medium," said Ms. Zhang.

Dr. Bernhard Schwartlander, Country Coordinator of UNAIDS, said: "UNAIDS strongly supports GBC and its initiative CHAMP in facilitating public-private partnerships in the response to HIV/AIDS in China. CHAMP is a prime example of this, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with GBC and CHAMP partners in the future".

"Sometimes journalists can underestimate how influential their portrayal of HIV/AIDS is in shaping people's attitudes, especially when society fails to distinguish between people and the disease they suffer from," said Murong Feng, a young man living with HIV, at a panel discussion themed "Media campaigns related to stigma & discrimination against people living with HIV" during the launch ceremony.

The ceremony took place at the Shangri-La Kerry Centre and was sponsored by The Global Media AIDS Initiative (GMAI) and The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and organized by Ogilvy PR Worldwide in Beijing.

Current CHAMP Donors

Anglo American
Coca-Cola (China) Beverages Ltd
General Motors in China
UNAIDS China

Current Project Supporters and Members

As of October 2008 GBC China has recruited more than 20 national and international public and private sector partners to join the CHAMP initiative. Below is a breakdown:

Media Partners:

China.org.cn/China.com.cn (China Internet Information Center), Beijing Health TV Marketing Corporation, Beijing Perspective Orient Movie & Television Intermediary Co, Chang Ai Media Project, MTV China, Phoenix New Media (ifeng.com), Universe Media Holding.

To date, CHAMP's media members have committed over US $3million worth of pro-bono airtime to broadcast its public service announcements covering over 200 TV stations in more than 25 provinces all over China

Private Companies:

Beijing Fudun Law Firm, Century JinQin Marketing Research Co. Ltd. of Renmin University of China, Claire Public Relations Consultancy Ltd, Ogilvy PR Worldwide Beijing, RedWorks of Ogilvy Company

Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)

The Global Media AIDS Initiative (GMAI), The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, China PMR Network Inc, Marie Stopes International China

United Nations Agencies:

ILO Office for China and Mongolia, UNDP